Odesa governor says Poroshenko “must speak clearly on the issue”

Mikheil Saakashvili, Head of Odesa regional state administration, posted a letter at Facebook, asking President Petro Poroshenko to react to the dismissal of David Sakvarelidze, ex-Deputy Prosecutor General and Head of Prosecutor’s Office in Odesa.

“I witnessed how the President handed David Sakvarelidze the warrant to help me fight mafia and keep public order in Odesa. Sakvarelidze opened a number of criminal cases on financial fraud related to Serhiy Kivalov, former Head of Ukraine’s Central Election Committee, to mayors of towns in Odesa region, and to local representatives of Petro Poroshenko’s Bloc. Today, his dismissal is backed up by a letter signed by Kivalov and Golubev, another fraud and the representative of Petro Poroshenko’s Bloc.

The precedent when the Prosecutor is fired on the official demand from the local criminal gang, which is involved in separatist movement, could result in very tough consequences for the country.

This is the case when the President, the guarantor of the Constitution, has to express his position clearly and explicitly – not for some particular person, but for statehood, integrity and the greater future of Ukraine”, reads the letter.

During his briefing on Sakvarelidze's dismissal on Tuesday, Saakashvili added: "No one dared to do something cynical like that before - even in the times of corrupt ex-President Yanukovych. Deputy Director General was fired on the official demand from the local bandits and separatists!".

As 112 International reported, David Sakvarelidze, former Deputy Prosecutor General of Ukraine, was fired on March 29; otn the same day, he gave a briefing in Kyiv, disclosing failure and unwillingness of the Prosecutor General's office to fight corruption and implement reforms in the country.